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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29299944">Everything With You</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Megane/pseuds/Megane'>Megane</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>One Day, Three Autumns [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Comedy, Established Relationship, First Time, Heart-to-Heart, Intimacy, Light-Hearted, M/M, Outdoor Sex, Sparring, Texting</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2019-01-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2019-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 07:14:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,468</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29299944</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Megane/pseuds/Megane</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>On average, it takes small steps to get to big moments. However, in Cloud's life, every major event has been a leap or a dive. He's never been one for building up. The thought alone of steadily walking towards an end — good or bad — deterred him. Frightened him, even. But not this time. This time, he was willing to walk the path set in front of him. With Vincent at the end, he knew that it would signify the start of many changes.</p><p>He knew he was ready.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Cloud Strife/Vincent Valentine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>One Day, Three Autumns [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2186196</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cloud spun his pen idly. These figures weren’t adding up, and he wasn’t sure why. Maybe because he had just been poring over the numbers for two solid hours. Balancing his quarterly budget and expenses was always an adventure, but today was bad. His head was mixed up and muddy. He couldn’t ask Tifa for help. She was too busy with her own books as well as looking after the kids. Cloud sighed and turned his head; he rubbed his palm against his face before sighing again in a loud, drawn out breath. His fingers rested against his hairline. His head hurt; his eyes hurt. His mind felt stuffy. If he took another break, he felt like he wouldn’t come back to this at all. He had taken, god… Five breaks in the past hour alone? Focus, he thought to himself. Unfortunately, he knew it wouldn’t have much of an impact.<br/>
<br/>
     “Delivery for Cloud Strife!”<br/>
<br/>
A bouncy voice cut through his maudlin thoughts, and he spun around in his chair. Yuffie and Reeve were standing in the doorway. Yuffie had her hands on her hips, and Reeve was smiling amicably.<br/>
<br/>
     “Yuffie? Reeve?” Cloud shook his head slightly before standing up. “What’re you two doing here?”<br/>
<br/>
     Yuffie gave a big, dramatic hum. “We were in the neighbourhood,” she said in a sprightly voice.<br/>
<br/>
Cloud walked closer to her and held out a hand. He pat her on the shoulder, but she quickly dove in for a hug. Too tired to give much of a fuss, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. She seemed happy enough with that.<br/>
<br/>
     “I was hoping to discuss a matter of business with you,” Reeve said evenly. His tone was warm and approachable. It didn’t set off any alarms in Cloud’s head, so he asked,<br/>
<br/>
     “Business?”<br/>
<br/>
     “You see, we’ve recently come into possession of a few items that are, sadly, without owners.” Reeve waved a hand gently. “Things like shelves, storage lockers, and filing cabinets, and I thought ‘Perhaps my old friend, Cloud Strife, might find some use in these.’”<br/>
<br/>
     Cloud gave a small smile. “What do I have to do?”<br/>
<br/>
     “Just come see which ones you like, pick them out, and we’ll have it delivered here. I’ll consider it a service well done if you do.”<br/>
<br/>
     “Count me in. Just…” He trailed off before looking over his shoulder. Yuffie leaned back to look behind him as well. She made a soft noise of interest. “I still have some things to take care of here, so I probably can’t do anything today.”<br/>
<br/>
     “What’s that?” Yuffie pulled away from him and bounded over to his desk.<br/>
<br/>
     “Paperwork. Finances.”<br/>
<br/>
     The ninja made a noise of disgust and placed her hands behind her head. She kicked up one foot and used its momentum to turn herself around. “Already bored.”<br/>
<br/>
     “Maybe I can help,” Reeve offered.<br/>
<br/>
     “You do that. <em>I’ll</em> go next door and say hi to Tifa.” Yuffie began walking out.<br/>
<br/>
     “Say hi to the kids for me,” Reeve said.<br/>
<br/>
     Cloud added, “Make sure they aren’t getting in her hair too much. Tifa’s got work to do too.”<br/>
<br/>
     Yuffie thrust a thumb up into the air. “Roger that!”<br/>
<br/>
     They both watched her go and then looked to each other. Reeve gave Cloud a sympathetic smile. “You look tired.”<br/>
<br/>
     “Don’t I always?” With that, Cloud turned around and walked over to his desk. As he sat, he heard Reeve follow behind him. The older man leaned over the desk and glanced over the work.<br/>
<br/>
     “Well, well, look at what you have here. What’s your system?”<br/>
<br/>
     “For balancing everything out? Ah, let’s see.”<br/>
<br/>
Cloud rifled through the sea of papers before pulling out the oldest one from years back. It was his first time doing finances on his own, and he had basically riffed off of what Tifa had done for him before. As he steadily explained his process, Reeve nodded and looked over the other forms. He had clear focus in his eyes, and it was something Cloud envied in the moment. Maybe he was just tired. But then again, like he said, he always was.<br/>
<br/>
Reeve took a page and began reading them carefully. As he did, Cloud got up and grabbed a stool from a corner of the room he still hadn’t sorted. When he walked over and set it down, Reeve stared at him in surprises before laughing and sitting properly.<br/>
<br/>
     “Oh. Thanks, Cloud.”<br/>
<br/>
     “Mhm.” Cloud tugged at the thighs of his pants, hiking them up slightly as he took a seat once more.<br/>
<br/>
     Reeve spent a few more moments before reaching over to grab a pen. He pulled over Cloud’s scratch paper and flipped it over to find a blank space to write. “So, here’s what I proposes you do, and then we’ll discuss the actual numbers.”<br/>
<br/>
Cloud propped an elbow on the table and rested his cheek against a half-curled fist. It took another twenty-five minutes to get everything straight. Reeve walked through Cloud’s process and offered suggestions on how to make certain tasks more manageable. It was cost and time efficient, and at the end of the day, that’s what Cloud needed to focus on most. Not just getting his work done. He gave a verbal listing of fuel up spots that were within a reasonable distance of each other that Cloud could tailor his delivery routes too, and then he promised to send an actual map later. His suggestions were reasonable, and the only thing Cloud could argue with was the fact that he would have to change his style. But he had been doing it basically one way for years, and that had no real style or routine to it. For his and Fenrir’s sakes, he decided to take Reeve’s advice.<br/>
<br/>
Another thirty was spent on actual bookkeeping, and Cloud was grateful for it. Once again, Reeve was a boon to have. He helped Cloud find more manageable ways of keeping track of things and then offered to help him look for someone if he needed help in these matters. As Cloud gathered up his papers, he shook his head.<br/>
<br/>
     “Let me get familiar with all of these new things first, and then I’ll think about hiring someone.”<br/>
<br/>
     “Understandable.” Reeve lowered his hand flat to the table with a dull noise. For Cloud, that<br/>
signified the end of their business exchange. “So, when can I call on you for the furniture?”<br/>
<br/>
     “Give me two days. I’ll make some room.”<br/>
<br/>
     “Excellent. I’ll be in Junon by then.”<br/>
<br/>
     “Big business?”<br/>
<br/>
     Reeve gave a smile that was friendly but unreadable otherwise. “Not quite.” And that was all he had to say on the matter.<br/>
<br/>
Cloud just decided to take that as it was, and he didn’t press any further. Instead, he focused on arranging everything in their proper folders, carefully tucking the unsealed flaps so he could keep track of which ones were finished. Reeve just slightly looked around the front room. It was a sunny day, so light was pouring in through the windows. There were unpacked boxes and furniture pushed to the far corners, but it was a mostly clean and empty space.<br/>
<br/>
     “Nice place you’ve got here, Cloud.” Reeve looked back to his friend, and Cloud lifted his eyes. “I really hope you can make something out of this.”<br/>
<br/>
     Cloud made a noise as he stuffed another folder. “Me too,” he muttered. He smoothed his hands over the packed folder before staring down at his desk. “It just… makes sense to expand a little bit. Give myself a little room. Give myself…” He looked around. “...a place to think.”<br/>
<br/>
     “Business can be hard when everyone’s coming and going, and I can only imagine how difficult it’d be if Tifa had patrons over late at night.”<br/>
<br/>
     Cloud chuckled and closed his eyes. “Laughing and yelling until sunrise.” His smile slowly faded as he opened his eyes again. “I just think it’s a good step. The building was empty anyway. You know…?”<br/>
<br/>
     Reeve reached over and touched Cloud’s shoulder. “I know.” He tapped the spot and then stood up. “Well, I should probably make an appearance since I’m here and all. I don’t want to be rude.”<br/>
<br/>
     “Go. I’ll catch up in a minute.”<br/>
<br/>
Reeve nodded his head and exited. As he did, Cloud stacked everything together, opened up a drawer on his desk, and dropped them inside. He shut the drawer before placing his hands on the desk. Good. It was finished. It felt like he had a tremendous weight off his shoulders now. He stretched his arms and hands forward, trying to get some of the tension out. It was then that he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.<br/>
<br/>
He pulled out his phone to check the message that awaited him.<br/>
<br/>
<em>     Vincent 14:45:29<br/>
     Are you busy? </em><br/>
<br/>
Cloud waited a bit before answering. He stretched one leg under his desk. His boot brushed against the wall as he tensed his foot forward.<br/>
<br/>
<em>     20XX-08-15 14:46:01<br/>
     not really. just finished everything up here. </em><br/>
<br/>
As soon as he sent it, he added another:<br/>
<br/>
<em>     20XX-08-15 14:46:08<br/>
     reeve + yuffie are here.<br/>
<br/>
     Vincent 14:46:15<br/>
     Tell them I said hello. I wanted to know if you would come meet me in the grasslands. </em><br/>
<br/>
The grasslands? Cloud stared at his phone in confusion. It was a good distance for the both of them, he figured, but that was an… odd place to meet up. Almost as reading (or knowing) Cloud’s lack of a response as hesitation, Vincent added on:<br/>
<br/>
<em>     Vincent 14:46:34<br/>
     I’ll bring lunch. </em><br/>
<br/>
It was then that Cloud felt the odd ball of tension he had inside of him break down a little. He wasn’t sure why, but just meeting up with Vincent in the middle of nowhere seemed off to him. Not entirely right... He felt the familiar twinges of paranoia cling to his stomach, and he ignored them.<br/>
<br/>
<em>     20XX-08-15 14:46:45<br/>
     sure i could use a bite.<br/>
<br/>
     Vincent 14:47:00<br/>
     Great. Just let me know when you’re leaving.<br/>
<br/>
     20XX-08-15 14:47:03<br/>
     will do. </em><br/>
<br/>
Cloud hesitated, wondering if he should add anything else to the end of his text. In the end, he chose to send it off. He wasn’t sure he could come to terms with being affectionate in that kind of way. For some reason, it was just a little embarrassing seeing his adoration frozen in text. If he thought about it too much longer though, he was only going to make himself blush. He stood up and dedicated himself to stretching and getting the regular feeling back into his body. He walked next door to Seventh Heaven where, of course, all of the action was taking place.<br/>
<br/>
Reeve was listening to a story of Denzel’s while Yuffie was trying to teach Marlene how to balance a shot glass on the tip of her nose. Cloud rolled his eyes lazily as he made his way towards the stairs.<br/>
<br/>
     “Don’t let Tifa catch you doing that.”<br/>
<br/>
     “I won’t!” Yuffie replied cheerfully. Of course she wouldn’t. They’d have to renounce her title as a ninja if she did. Cloud took the stairs two at a time before walking to Tifa’s room. He knocked on the ajar door and only entered when she gave a distracted “Come in.”<br/>
<br/>
     Cloud nudged the door open with his wrist. “You look as bad as I did,” he said as he walked up to her bed.<br/>
<br/>
Tifa was sitting with her legs crossed with a dozen or so papers in front of her. Inventory, order forms, expense charts. Augh, Cloud focused his attention on her. He didn’t want to get lost in that head space again.<br/>
<br/>
     Tifa scoffed. “What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked without any heat.<br/>
<br/>
     Cloud shrugged, even though she wasn’t looking. “Reeve ended up helping me a lot.”<br/>
<br/>
     “Reeve?” Tifa gasped softly and lifted her head. A lock of brown hair slipped over her shoulder as she stared off wide eyed at a wall. A few seconds passed, and she ultimately changed her mind about something. She shook her head and looked back down. “No, I’m almost done here.”<br/>
<br/>
     “Alright. But take it easy.”<br/>
<br/>
     Tifa laughed a little. “Coming from you?” She set down what she was staring at and peered up at Cloud. “What’s next?”<br/>
<br/>
     “Going to go meet Vincent up—” He stopped when Tifa’s expression melted into smug knowingness. Her catlike smile made him squint his eyes slightly. Tifa did the same but with a happy hum. “What?”<br/>
<br/>
     “Nothing,” she lied beatifically. She turned her head and was <em>clearly</em> only pretending to look at her work. “You’re seeing him a lot lately. It’s good.” A heavy moment of silence passed, and Tifa returned her attention back up to Cloud. He was still staring at her. She laughed. “What?”<br/>
<br/>
     “Don’t ‘what’ me,” he mumbled.<br/>
<br/>
     “Uh. You did first.”<br/>
<br/>
     “Whatever.” Cloud turned his head, and he was clearly turning a little red in the face.<br/>
<br/>
     Tifa rolled her eyes, dropped her papers to the bed completely, and hopped up to stand in front of her best friend. “If you didn't want anyone to notice, you two shouldn’t be great together.” Cloud groaned and closed his eyes. Tifa smirked before giving him a light punch. “I’m just giving you a hard time. Go, see ‘im. You better tell him I said hi.”<br/>
<br/>
     “Passing around a lot of hellos today.” He opened his eyes. “You know, they have things called ‘phones’ now.”<br/>
<br/>
     Tifa cocked her head and placed her hands behind her back. “Wild. I’ve never heard of them.” They shared a soft laugh. Tifa reached out her hands and spun Cloud around towards the door. “Get out, you. I’ve still got work to do.”<br/>
<br/>
     “Yeah, yeah.”<br/>
<br/>
     “And have fun with Vincent!” Cloud felt warm again, but this time in his chest, and the feeling passed over him. “I will.”<br/>
<br/>
Tifa nodded resolutely before giving him one last push out the door, which was once again left ajar. Cloud huffed slightly through his nose before running his fingers through his hair. He then walked back downstairs and spoke a little with everyone. He passed on Vincent’s greetings and tried not to roll his eyes when everyone gave him messages to pass along right back. He really was an errand boy, huh?<br/>
<br/>
Marlene and Denzel hugged him on each side, talking and asking questions with rapid energy. By the time they let go, Cloud had something stuffed in at least three of his pockets, and a Shinra sticker that had been hilariously misprinted. The design of the sticker was supposed to be less clinical, more colourful and approachable to the younger generations. Unfortunately, the letters were stylised and smushed together in a way that it looked like “Shitra” instead of “Shinra”. Call him a child, but Cloud found it hilarious.<br/>
<br/>
     “I’m off,” he said after tucking the sticker in his back pocket.<br/>
<br/>
     Yuffie perked up. “Oh! Tell Vincent—”<br/>
<br/>
     “Inbox is closed. No more messages,” Cloud said in a dragging voice as he headed towards the front door.<br/>
Yuffie flopped back against the counter, and Reeve merely laughed at the exchange. “I’ll see you soon, Cloud.”<br/>
“Yeah.” Cloud lifted his hand as a final wave before heading off to where he parked Fenrir.<br/>
<br/>
He could never tire of the weight of his motorbike between his legs. It was his mobile bastion and solitude. There were so many memories tied with this one vehicle. He could never think to replace it, even if it was with an exact copy. He grabbed his goggles out of the side storage and slipped them on over his forehead. Before he forgot though, he pulled out his phone to send off a message to Vincent.<br/>
<br/>
<em>     20XX-08-15 15:15:23<br/>
     omw<br/>
<br/>
     Vincent 15:15:28<br/>
     I’m with you. </em><br/>
<br/>
Just that simple response alone was enough to make Cloud feel the stutterings of his heart. He knew he didn’t have to say anything, that there wasn’t anything to say, but he still hesitated in putting his phone away. He slipped his goggles over his eyes and started up Fenrir. The grasslands would be a decent ways away, and Vincent never specified where they would meet up. In spite of this, he had confidence they would find each other.<br/>
<br/>
With his mind finally set, Cloud navigated Fenrir out of its parking spot and tore down the street to the city limits of Edge.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Fenrir’s revving engine devoured the peaceful silence all around. A steady breeze rustled the grass, which evened out as he drove. He looked around, thinking he could spot some red in a sea of green. He glanced here and there, but in the end, he just turned his gaze forward again. Maybe he should just focus on finding somewhere to park and message Vincent afterward. Lifting his head slightly, he saw that there was elevated land in the distance. Ah, perhaps he’d be easier to spot on the relief. He revved Fenrir’s engine and leaned into his bike once more. Now that he had a target, he’d be able to easily describe to Vincent where he—<br/><br/>A rush of red swirled over his head. It was fascinating and breathtaking in its speed. It was another thing in his life he couldn’t exactly get used to. Vincent’s cape spun once before landing some yards away from Cloud, who was quickly closing the distance. Vincent rose from the red mass with his same, practiced cool. Cloud revved his engine as a warning that he was coming up, but Vincent stayed where he was. With a small laugh, Cloud tipped Fenrir slightly to the side to give the other man some space. He slowed down as he drew closer before finally stopping at Vincent’s side.<br/><br/>Vincent turned his head gracefully, and his eyes met Cloud’s. Cloud was taken by the sight of him. The daylight shone kindly on his handsome features. Before Cloud could pull his mind together and say something, Vincent produced something from his cape. An unreasonably large wicker basket. It was enough to make Cloud laugh. He turned off Fenrir’s engine and then pulled the goggles off his head.<br/><br/>     “Really?” he asked with a smile tilted more to his left. He leaned forward and crossed his arms over the bike.</p><p></p><div class="ljcut">
  <p>     “I said I’d bring lunch.”</p>
  <p>     “I know, I’m just… surprised is all.” He looked away from Vincent and huffed another laugh. He took a second to think before drawing out the kickstand and letting Fenrir reset. “What’re we eating?”</p>
  <p>     “It’s not a full course meal,” Vincent said, “but it’s a little something from a restaurant that opened up nearby.”</p>
  <p>He hooked the basket with one arm and pulled out a blanket with his free hand. It was an off- purple colour, and Cloud hadn’t remembered Vincent owning anything like that before. Maybe he just recently bought it? He played with the idea as he tossed his goggles back into the side compartment and pulled himself off the motorcycle. He walked over to take the basket from Vincent, who turned his back and snapped out the blanket. It was huge, more than big enough for the two of them. Cloud turned his head towards the steady breeze and quietly examined the speed.</p>
  <p>     “Don’t think it’ll get too rough out here,” he said finally. “The wind and all.”</p>
  <p>     “Mn,” was all Vincent said at first. He knelt down to smooth out the blanket before turning back and reaching out a hand.</p>
  <p>Cloud straightened his arm, ready to hand over the basket, when Vincent took his hand instead. Oh. Right. He told himself not to think about it as he let Vincent draw him down onto the cover. It was a bit thicker than what Cloud was expecting. It wasn’t dense exactly, but it was a good protection between them and the blades of grass. Cloud pulled off his glove and brushed his hand over the fabric. Soft. Nice.</p>
  <p>     “I like this,” he said and then put the basket down in the center of the blanket.</p>
  <p>     “Good. This is the only they had left though,” Vincent said as he made himself comfortable. He reached up to undo his cloak.</p>
  <p>     “Ah, so you did just buy it.” Cloud smiled a little as he teased, and Vincent replied back in kind.</p>
  <p>It was just so easy around him to speak a little freely, be a little silly. It wasn’t that Cloud couldn’t be that way with anyone else in his friend circle. Sure, they might tease him a bit for being more expressive, but with Vincent, there was just this mindless ease to it. He ducked his head for a second as he thought about it. As he lowered his head though, he noticed something about Vincent. He stared at his boyfriend’s leg and then looked back up to Vincent’s hands. He didn’t have the golden armour pieces on, even his body suit was a bit different from the usual. Cloud liked the look. It was a bit more… casual, maybe? He wasn’t sure how to describe it, so he didn’t even try.</p>
  <p>He did, however, take off his gloves and tossed them on top of Vincent’s cloak. Vincent reached down for his boots, and Cloud did the same. Looks like they were getting comfortable out here, and honestly? Cloud wasn’t going to argue. It’d be nice to kick back for a while.</p>
  <p>     “You didn’t happen to bring any pillows, did you?” he asked as he toed his left boot off first.</p>
  <p>     Vincent rumbled pleasantly. Cloud loved that kind of laugh. “Must have forgot.”</p>
  <p>     “Shame, Vincent.”</p>
  <p>They set their shoes together, and only then did Cloud finally close the gap between them. He sat next to his boyfriend and touched their legs together. Vincent reached over to give his thigh a squeeze. Cloud smiled, and just as he was about to turn his head and give a proper greeting, he remembered something. Or rather, some <em>things</em>.</p>
  <p>     “Okay, so I’ve a series of messages for you.” Vincent tilted his head. “Oh?” Cloud raised a hand and began counting them off. “Tifa says hello. Marlene says hello. Denzel says hi but also asked, ‘Can you run a hundred miles per hour?’” When a half-smile started on Vincent’s face, Cloud reached over with his free hand and touched his partner’s arm. “I’m quoting him. Marlene asked ‘What’s your favourite kind of sweet? If I found something, would you eat it?’”</p>
  <p>     “I’d try it,” Vincent replied.</p>
  <p>     “Shh, or I’ll forget.” Another laugh from Vincent, this time a chuckle. Cloud looked up thoughtfully. “Yuffie and Reeve, both hi. Yuffie wanted me to ask you something, but I had to cut her off.” Cloud moved his hands vaguely in front of himself. “And the kids asked a million other things, but I completely forgot.”</p>
  <p>     “Alright.” Vincent leaned towards Cloud. “Is that it?”</p>
  <p>     “That’s everything.”</p>
  <p>In reply to that, Vincent moved closer and pressed his lips to Cloud’s. It was an almost chaste kiss, but then he tilted his head so their lips better fit together. Cloud sighed and partly opened his mouth for Vincent. Their kiss was slow and open; they breathed slowly and steadily as one until they finally broke away.</p>
  <p>     “Hello again,” Vincent said.</p>
  <p>     “Hey, you.” Cloud reached up to cup Vincent’s face. He ran his thumb from one corner of Vincent’s mouth to his cheek. After a moment of that, he turned his head to the basket. “What’d you bring?”</p>
  <p>     “Nothing special,” Vincent replied, as he reached towards the basket.</p>
  <p>     Cloud watched and then he perked up once more. “Oh. I got you something.”</p>
  <p>Vincent hummed curiously. Cloud dug into his back pocket before dropping the misprinted Shinra sticker on the basket. Vincent paused as he took it in. Cloud waited for his reaction, and he was surprised by the brief but open laugh Vincent gave. Vincent made a derisive, amused grunt as he picked up the sticker.</p>
  <p>     “That sounds about right.”</p>
  <p>     “Doesn’t it?”</p>
  <p>     Vincent set it off to the side before opening the basket. He placed one hand in and then looked to Cloud. “A lot of this is plastic wrapped.”</p>
  <p>     “I mean…” Cloud placed his hands behind his back as he relaxed. “Has to make it for the trip, right?”</p>
  <p>     “Right. I just wanted to give forewarning.”</p>
  <p>     Cloud smiled a little. “Appreciate it.”</p>
  <p>Vincent removed one of the dishes, which was a small tart dessert. Instead of unwrapping it, he placed it aside. The next two were little plates, but they were packed with food. Vincent held them to Cloud, allowing him to take the first pick, and then unwrapped them both carefully. He had a couple of thermal bottles of drinks, which he set between them as well. Cloud just simply watched, and he was feeling… <em>something</em> about all of this. Nothing negative, no. It was just… new and surprising to him. The information dawned on him that he had never been on a romantic date before, especially not like this.</p>
  <p>Oh, he and Tifa used to do picnics a lot, especially when they were younger. (She had told him as much, and the memories, hazy as they were, had slowly pieced themselves together over time.) But they had never been, by his understanding, romantic. This was different; the mood was set purposefully with this kind of intent, and it was still as casual as everything else. Vincent didn’t have any romantic overture, and it was still as easy going as if they were eating at his house. Which brought up an interesting question:</p>
  <p>     “How come we’re not at your place?”</p>
  <p>     Vincent slowed as he brought out napkins and eating utensils. “... I just thought it’d be nice to do something different.” He lifted his head and looked towards the sky. “And it promised to be a nice day.”</p>
  <p>     Cloud leaned over to kiss Vincent’s neck, to prove it wasn’t wasted effort. “I’m glad for it. Could always use the fresh air.”</p>
  <p>     “Mn.” Vincent handed over a napkin and fork to Cloud, who took it with a soft thanks.</p>
  <p>They spent a bit of time just eating and enjoying each other’s company. Yeah, it was just like every other time they were together, Cloud noted, but this <em>was</em> essentially different. Maybe it was just him, but… He wasn’t sure how to think about it. Maybe his problem was that he was thinking about it.</p>
  <p>He slowly pulled his fork between his lips as he allowed himself to get lost in thought. When Vincent gently knocked their elbows together, Cloud rocked and hummed in acknowledgement. Vincent looked down to his dish, which he carefully cut through with his fork.</p>
  <p>     “Thinking about something?” He debated about clueing Vincent in and asking <em>"Does this feel different to you?"</em>, but a part of him wondered if that would have put a negative connotation, if he was putting too much emphasis about things. He calmed his mind down. He still had a bad habit of getting stuck in his own thoughts. The best remedy for it wasn't to ignore it out right, but to flag the thought for further rumination. If he felt it was important enough, he'd pick up where he left of. So, setting the feeling aside for later scrutiny, he changed his line of thinking entirely.</p>
  <p>     “I’m wondering if we should spar out here,” Cloud said after a long moment. He looked to Vincent. “I think it’d be interesting.”</p>
  <p>     Vincent looked and studied his face. It was clear that he knew something was floating around Cloud’s head. He just couldn’t parse what. After the silence, he nodded. “Sure.”</p>
  <p>But they’d have to take a break so they didn’t immediately cramp up after eating. The image of their mutual and foolish discomfort was slightly amusing. Cloud laughed to himself as he ate. By the time he was starting on dessert, he remembered something else that the kids stuffed in his pockets. He took out a handful of little wrapped sweets, moved his hand over to Vincent, and opened his fingers, letting the treats sprinkle down over his boyfriend’s lap.</p>
  <p>Vincent stared down at his lap, watching as each of the candies fell. Then he was still. And then without a single word, he whipped his head over to Cloud with a blank face. Even though Vincent didn’t have a single expression, Cloud could <em>feel</em> the confusion. He ducked his head and tried to hold back a laugh. Vincent shook his head before dropping the candies inside the basket.</p>
  <p>     “Denzel and Marlene, of course,” Cloud said, still tittering to himself.</p>
  <p>     “Of course.”</p>
  <p>After they were away, Vincent turned his comically blank face back to Cloud, who huffed a laugh and leaned forward to give Vincent a kiss.</p>
  <p>     “I’m not sorry,” he replied.</p>
  <p>Vincent rumbled and pressed their lips together with more heat. The kiss instantly became firmer, more searching, and Cloud let out a breath in spite of himself. Just as he was about to melt into it, Vincent drew away to finish eating. Cloud pressed the back of his hand against his mouth and narrowed his eyes at Vincent for so easily drawing a blush out of him. Knowing that he was being watched, Vincent smiled. He didn’t look over in Cloud’s direction.</p>
  <p>After they finished eating, Vincent handled the dishes. Cloud grabbed the dark grey thermal bottle and drew it close as he started to lie down. It wasn’t an overwhelmingly warm day, especially for his choice in dark clothes. There were a few bird calls and the occasional breeze. It was perfect out here. Cloud stared up at the clouds in a rare moment of peace. His hands moved as if he was going to open the bottle, but he just held that position. He was simply enjoying the moment.</p>
  <p>Vincent lowered down to rest on his left side. He used his arm as a balance, and his thermal bottle rested between the two of them. He too focused up at the sky. Having moments like this was so key with Vincent. Their propensity for silence was an easy draw for the two of them, but there was also never any dread in breaking that silence either.</p>
  <p>     “I’m glad I came out here, Vincent,” Cloud said softly, keeping his eyes upward.</p>
  <p>     Vincent, on the other hand, looked down towards his partner. “I’m glad you did too.”</p>
  <p>Cloud reserved a special place in his memory for this moment. He slowly closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. Once a long time ago, what felt like an entire lifetime ago now, he had a thought. It was one born from confusion and perhaps even resignation. Of defeat, even. But now, he wanted to associate that thought with something more peaceful. Something like this.</p>
  <p>
    <em>     If this is a dream, then… don’t wake me. </em>
  </p>
  <p>He let out the breath steadily and slowly opened his eyes. Vincent was staring up at the clouds again. His profile was handsome in a timeless sort of way. Cloud moved a hand away from the cap of his bottle, starting to reach for Vincent, but then he stopped. Afterward, he changed his mind and rose to his feet with a groan. That earned Vincent’s attention.</p>
  <p>     “Hope you’re ready.”</p>
  <p>Vincent confirmed with a grunt. He then reached behind him and slid Cerberus out of its holster. As he switched ammunition to blanks, Cloud walked over to Fenrir and opened up the weapon storage. Instead of assembling his entire Fusion Sword, he grabbed the Hollow Blade and gave it a test swirl. It helped him a lot during his fight with the Remnants, and considering Vincent’s style of attack, he figured it could happen here too. He slashed in front of him, creating a rush of air that briefly parted the grass. Cloud was satisfied with his choice. When he turned around, Vincent was already standing.</p>
  <p>     Cloud walked closer and reached out with a hand to take Vincent by the wrist. “Sorry about the change of pace,” he said softly.</p>
  <p>     “Not at all. Could be an interesting use of our time.”</p>
  <p>     Cloud gave a small smile of relief, and side by side, they walked further away from the blanket. “Don’t have anything planned, do you?”</p>
  <p>     “Do <em>you</em>?” Vincent asked. And there was something to his tone, to his gaze, that Cloud could feel. It surged down his form like a pleasant chill, and he shook his head.</p>
  <p>     “No.”</p>
  <p>     “Neither do I.” Vincent walked forward to put more distance between them. As they went, he said, “So let’s take our time.”</p>
  <p>     There was a promise in those words, and Cloud felt himself rise to it. “Alright,” he said. When Vincent was positioned, he grasped the Hollow Blade’s grip with both hands. “Get ready!”</p>
  <p>Even as he shouted it, he knew he was talking to himself.</p>
</div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The silence had been replaced with the sound of gunfire and combat. Vincent was doing his best to keep Cloud at bay, but Cloud refused to put too much space between them. He gave up ground only for a tactical advantage. When he could, he rushed in to force Vincent into melee range. It was a challenge on both of their ends, but by and large, Cloud loved it. He could only hope Vincent felt the same or at least felt positively.<br/>Cloud went in for a slash, but Vincent bounded out of the way. He spun in the air to right himself. While still in the air, he aimed his gun at Cloud and unloaded rapid shots. Cloud twisted the Hollow Blade to deflect them. The slight shifts in Vincent’s aim made him twist the sword just to keep himself adequately protected. A slight huff, and Cloud kicked off the ground, surprising Vincent by coming to his elevation. It was a good feeling seeing that bit of shock flash in Vincent’s eyes.<br/><br/>     “Hey,” Cloud said. He was in Vincent’s space, and he used the butt of the Hollow Blade to deliver damage.<br/><br/>This angled his arms in such a way that one of his elbows was close to Vincent. As Vincent fell, he grabbed onto Cloud’s arm and quickly spun their bodies. The sudden, rapid change jostled Cloud’s senses a bit. He tightened his grip on the Hollow Blade, but when they landed, his back hit the ground, and Vincent was kneeling over him. The Hollow Blade slipped from Cloud's hand; Cerberus was held up, even with Vincent’s head.</p><p></p><div class="ljcut">
  <p>     “Hey yourself,” Vincent said breezily before standing.</p>
  <p>Cloud felt his chest bounce with a laugh. He sat up, reached for the Hollow Blade, and rose to his feet again. After that take down, he made himself harder to pin. Cloud was agile, and he used that to his advantage. By constantly moving, he kept himself from being an easy target. As they sparred, he tried to use what he knew about Vincent’s attack style to his advantage as well. Vincent didn't so much have an attack pattern as he did small tells. Cloud took pride each time he managed to spark some sort of interest or surprise in Vincent’s eyes when he broke through his fire. However, as much as he was using his knowledge, Vincent was doing the same. The difficulty rose between them, soon becoming an invigorating test of wills.</p>
  <p>Throughout their session, they came close to knocking the other down, but neither relented. It was an interesting challenge, but as they continued, Cloud could see that Vincent was running low on ammunition. He was timing his shots, trying to make them count more. <em>'There's my chance,'</em> Cloud thought before kicking off the ground and rushing towards Vincent. Instead of using his sword, he had another plan of attack. He tucked himself against Vincent’s body and knocked the gunner down to the ground. Once down, Cloud held his sword aloft in a flash of movement, making as if to strike. Vincent matched his speed and raised his gun as well. They kept still, waiting for the other person to strike.</p>
  <p>     “Good to see you’re not rusty,” Cloud said.</p>
  <p>     Vincent huffed a laugh. “Same to you.”</p>
  <p>Cloud lowered his weapon, and Vincent did the same. They eyed each other in appreciation. Cloud felt warm and not just from the sparring. He leaned forward to give Vincent a kiss. It was slow and easy, a reward to them both for a spar well-done. Afterward, he pulled away and licked his lips, still close enough for Vincent to feel. He stuck his sword into the ground to balance himself as he stood up. He reached down a hand to Vincent. Once upright, Vincent kept his hand in Cloud’s, and they walked over to Fenrir and the picnic blanket. They pulled their hands apart and went their separate directions. Cloud tucked the Hollow Blade back in Fenrir’s storage. He felt lighter, less in his head. Maybe that was all he needed. He turned around with a slow blink and headed back towards Vincent.</p>
  <p>Vincent was checking on his gun, quietly switching out the blanks in the chamber with live rounds. He snapped the barrel closed and stared down the iron sight. As he tested the balance, Cloud came to sit down at his side.</p>
  <p>     “Everything good?” Cloud asked.</p>
  <p>     Vincent nodded quietly before switching the safety on and setting his gun off to the side. “Still enjoying yourself?”</p>
  <p>     Cloud smiled. “Yeah. Are you?”</p>
  <p>     Vincent hummed and looked up to the sky. ‘Never thought about sparring on a first date.”</p>
  <p>     Cloud scooted closer and nudged Vincent with his arm. “Glad I could get you to try something different.”</p>
  <p>     “It’s not very hard when it’s you.”</p>
  <p>Thankfully, Vincent closed his eyes, and he missed the flush that settled on Cloud’s cheeks. It really just came so easily to him, didn't it? Cloud reached out, grabbed Vincent by the shoulders, and pushed him down onto the blanket.</p>
  <p>     “How do you do that?” Cloud asked, staring down at the darker haired man. “I know you said a while back that… you don’t feel a need to hold back, but the things you say…”</p>
  <p>     “Is it too much?”</p>
  <p>     “No,” Cloud said in a breath, caught somewhere between a laugh and a sigh. “Not at all. I’m just... always caught off guard. I feel like I can’t keep up sometimes.”</p>
  <p>     Vincent reached up to cup Cloud’s face with both hands. “I think you do just fine.”</p>
  <p>     Cloud smiled to one side as he leaned in. “Then, that’s alright with me.”</p>
  <p>He sank down on top of Vincent and gave himself over to the moment. The downing sun was warm against his back, Vincent against his front. He sighed softly into the kiss as it deepened. Vincent’s tongue found his own, and Cloud’s fingers twitched ever so slightly against Vincent’s shoulders. Hearing the ever so soft noise from Vincent was practically deafening in Cloud’s ears. He drew a hand down and hook his fingers in the clasp of Vincent’s outfit. With a slight flex, he popped the button. Their kiss slowed to a stop. Cloud pulled away and peered down at Vincent through his lashes. They looked at each other in silence. Vincent moved his hands to Cloud’s ribs and slowly slid down.</p>
  <p>     “Are you ready?” Vincent asked quietly.</p>
  <p>     “More than ever... You?”</p>
  <p>     “Absolutely.” Vincent lowered his hands to grab Cloud’s ass. He rocked himself up as Cloud closed the distance between their lips again. “Cloud…”</p>
  <p>It was so satisfying beyond words to hear his name groaned out like that. He pushed the front asymmetrical flap of Vincent's outfit to the side and pulled down the zipper to Vincent’s navel. He took in a breath through his nose as he straddled Vincent, as Vincent’s hips rocked up against his own. He broke the kiss and pushed his hands under Vincent’s clothes to feel at his chest. Over the course of their relationship, Vincent had revealed more and more of himself in front of Cloud; it was never sexual, and it was always comfortable, modest. But now, Cloud didn’t want modesty; he wanted Vincent in his naked truth so he could properly be worshipped.</p>
  <p>Cloud sat back and began to pull off his own clothes. His shirt was hooked onto his arms as Vincent sat up. The gunner hurriedly pulled his arms through the sleeves of his bodysuit. As he did, he kissed and nipped at Cloud’s neck. Cloud let out a sigh of a moan when he felt Vincent’s teeth graze against his skin. He threw his shirt off the to the side before wrapping his arms around Vincent’s shoulders. Vincent moved a hand to Cloud’s lower back; his other went to the floor beside him to keep himself balanced.</p>
  <p>Their bodies moved against one another, slowly simulating what they both wanted so dearly. Cloud pressed his forehead to Vincent’s, and they stared at each other through barely opened eyes.</p>
  <p>     “I want you...” Cloud said in a whisper, “so much right now.”</p>
  <p>     “Cloud.” Vincent slid his hand from Cloud’s back to his hip and guided him down against a rolling thrust upward.</p>
  <p>Cloud tilted down into it, and their clothed bulges rubbed against each other. Cloud closed his eyes as he moaned. He tilted his head, and he could feel the soft shudder of Vincent’s breath against his lips.</p>
  <p>Now, how was he going to ask this? He wanted to go as far as they could, but considering the situation, he wasn’t sure if they were, ah… <em>prepared</em>. He sure as hell didn’t bring anything. As he mulled it over in his mind, he eased Vincent onto his back once again, and Vincent went down without a word. His hands slipped away from Cloud’s body as he relaxed. Cloud slid a hand down the length of Vincent’s body as he moved backwards. He ducked his focus down to get Vincent completely undressed. He moved steadily but with enough gaps between his motions that Vincent could dictate how undressed he wanted to be. But there was no resistance, no hint for him to pause or stop. Cloud kept steadily forward. When Vincent was completely naked, Cloud felt himself blush at the sight.</p>
  <p>He leaned forward, purely acting on instinct now. He wanted to show Vincent that he was appreciated, that he was wanted physically and emotionally. Cloud sank down between Vincent’s legs, carefully taking the other’s shaft in his hand. Vincent pushed up with one arm to look down at Cloud, wanting to watch. The last intimate relationship Vincent had had was… a long time ago. He knew what he liked though, and he wouldn’t hesitate in guiding Cloud if needed. But for now, he wanted the blond to get familiar with his body. They had time to kill, after all.</p>
  <p>     Cloud stroked a thumb against Vincent’s sex; he liked the weight of it in his palm, the way it twitched in excitement. “I’m not any good at this,” he said, “so just… tell me what you like.”</p>
  <p>     “I will,” Vincent said. His voice was a bit breathy. They barely even started, but just having Cloud touch him and be so close to him like this was enough to wind him up. “Just take your time.”</p>
  <p>Cloud nodded slightly and did as Vincent said. He gladly took his time, mostly for his own sake, and maybe he could temper out his inexperience with careful action. He focused on the way Vincent sounded and the way that he moved. Vincent’s moans left him trembling in anticipation, and they spurred him forward. When Cloud took Vincent into his mouth for the first time, he felt the flush on his face become more intense. Vincent’s moans weren’t incredibly loud, but they were shaky, rough, and erotic. Cloud stroked what he didn’t have in his mouth and moaning softly. Vincent placed a hand on Cloud’s head, encouraging him with touch and sound. He sucked in a breath through grit teeth when Cloud pulled away and began stroking him a little faster.</p>
  <p>     “<em>Gah</em>… Cloud…”</p>
  <p>     “Vincent.”</p>
  <p>Cloud turned his head and lovingly pressed a kiss to a faded seam scar on Vincent’s thigh. He glanced up to look at Vincent’s face, and he was blown over by how handsome Vincent looked. There was a hunger in his eyes that rocked Cloud down to his core.</p>
  <p>As Cloud pleasured Vincent, he could feel his own need building. He bit down on his lip, instinctively trying not to bring too much attention to himself. He was caught off guard when Vincent’s hand moved down from the top of his head to under his chin. Cloud drew his mouth back; a thin trail of saliva connected him and Vincent still. Vincent closed his eyes briefly and took a deep, centering breath. When he opened his eyes again, he stroked along Cloud’s bottom lip.</p>
  <p>     “Lie down,” he instructed smoothly.</p>
  <p>     Cloud licked his lips, his tongue brushing against Vincent’s thumb in the process. “Alright,” he said in a breath.</p>
  <p>He drew himself back. When he rolled over onto his back, Vincent was over him. His kiss was so easy to get lost in. It started gentle but steadily became more passionate. Their wants were a mutual fire. When Vincent began kissing his way down Cloud’s body, Cloud couldn’t help but arch towards Vincent all the way down. He closed his eyes and focused on the way Vincent felt and how confidently he moved. The last of Cloud’s clothes came off, and Cloud gasped when he soon felt Vincent’s mouth on him. “H-haa. Vin… <em>cent</em>…” It was embarrassing to hear himself like this, but to shy away from it was to deny how good Vincent was making him feel. He reached both hands down to Vincent’s head, curling his fingers in the long, dark hair as he was overwhelmed.</p>
  <p>     <em>“Ah!</em>” He arched his back as Vincent took him deeper. Cloud drew up one leg; his toes curled against the blanket as he tried to keep his hips flat. Vincent gave a satisfied purr, and Cloud's fingers tightened as he let out a ragged moan. <em>“Vincent.”</em></p>
  <p>Vincent drew his head back and pulled away completely to reach over into the basket. He pulled out a bottle with an almost completely clear blue gel. Cloud opened his eyes partially to watch. When he noticed what Vincent was holding, he let out an embarrassed laugh.</p>
  <p>     “You even brought <em>that?”</em> For the first time since this started, Vincent blushed. He turned the bottle with one hand before finally opening it. “It just… never hurts to be prepared, just in case, with us all the way out here.”</p>
  <p>It was smart. Hell, they already had a history of heavy petting and almost crossing that line. Cloud couldn’t blame him for bringing it. If anything, he was thankful for it, but that officially meant…</p>
  <p>     He reached out a hand to grab onto Vincent’s shoulder. “C’mere,” he said.</p>
  <p>It was easy to distract himself with a kiss as Vincent made the necessary preparations. Cloud groaned when he felt the first intrusion. When Cloud clenched, Vincent kissed at his neck, offering quiet reassurance until he relaxed. Their pace slowed considerably, but Cloud was just as wound up as when they started. He panted Vincent’s name as he he was prepared. In other circumstances, with any other partner, he might have cared out he sounded, but when Vincent gave an appreciative groan, Cloud realised he didn’t care at all.</p>
  <p>When his fingers were removed, Vincent drew back to peer down at Cloud as he prepared himself. He shuddered as he applied the gel over his shaft. Cloud reached up to cup Vincent’s face.</p>
  <p>     “I’m ready,” he said again, unwavering in his desire.</p>
  <p>Vincent nodded and pressed himself against Cloud, slowly slotting in so he could adjust to the stretch. Cloud dropped his hands to Vincent’s shoulders, digging his fingers in and moaning. He always wondered if he wanted to have mindless, hard sex or something more intimate like this. He could never make up his mind. Honestly, he never entertained it much beyond his fantasies, but with Vincent, he wanted to explore those possibilities, learn and embrace the differences. He drew Vincent closer so he could moan against his lover’s shoulder. The pace increased steadily, and Cloud surrendered himself to it.</p>
  <p>It was so embarrassing to think like this. Vincent always brought out something new in him.</p>
  <p>     Vincent sunk in deep, and Cloud arched his back. He squeezed his thighs around Vincent’s waist. “Don’t stop,” Cloud groaned, turning his face against Vincent.</p>
  <p>He mouthed at his lover’s neck, panting shakily as Vincent’s pace continued. He dragged a hand down Vincent’s back, nails grazing down pale skin. Cloud felt as if he was being consumed from within; everything thrust was jostling him, turning his thoughts into white noise. An urgency built in the pit of his stomach. His cock twitched between his and Vincent’s body. Vincent nearly growled out his name, and it was almost enough to make Cloud unravel right then and there.</p>
  <p>     <em>“Cloud.” </em></p>
  <p>     “Vincent!” Cloud tightened his hold on Vincent, digging his nails again, unapologetic. “C’mon, right there. Right—! <em>Aah!”</em></p>
  <p>Cloud tightened around Vincent as he finally came. His breath hitched as he felt Vincent cum inside of him almost immediately after. God… dammit… He scratched along Vincent’s back again, trying to ride out the residual shocks of his orgasm. He smoothed out his hands over Vincent’s skin apologetically. He kissed Vincent’s shoulder and neck, but when Vincent lifted his head, they kissed one final time.</p>
  <p>     “Vincent, that was…” Cloud laughed breathlessly. His eyes fell closed when Vincent touched their foreheads together. “I won’t be able to look at you right for a little while.”</p>
  <p>     “Will this really be on your mind?” He could feel Vincent smile; their lips were so close. “I’m glad.”</p>
  <p>     “Didn’t think you’d be the type to take pride in something like that. Then again, it’s always the quiet ones, huh?”</p>
  <p>Vincent chuckled, and Cloud thought it felt so good to feel that against his chest. He could have stayed like this for a while. He was so boneless and lazy. When Vincent drew out of him, Cloud felt the loss.</p>
  <p>     “Got anything in that basket to clean us up?” he asked tiredly.</p>
  <p>     Vincent shot him a look that made him feel hot all over again. “No, but I have something else in mind,” he replied in his velvety voice.</p>
  <p>     Cloud licked his lips and ran his hands down the length of Vincent’s arms. “Y-yeah? Show me.”</p>
  <p>Maybe Cloud was a glutton for punishment if he was challenging Vincent so soon after they just finished, but he couldn’t help it. Vincent slipped down the length of his body, and Cloud watched in fascination. When his legs were propped up and open, Cloud threw an arm over his eyes and let himself be taken away by the sensations.</p>
</div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>      “How are you?” Vincent asked.</p><p>      “Think I’ll be preoccupied for a while, but I’m fine otherwise.”</p><p>They were redressed, and they took the type to pack up their little picnic area. Now, Cloud and Vincent were reclining in the grass together. It was growing late. The sky was darkening, and the sun was officially taking the last of its warmth with it. Cloud turned his head and looked up at Vincent.</p><p>      “You?”</p><p>      “Amazing. It was just how I imagined it would be.”</p><p>      Cloud opened his mouth slightly and asked, “You… thought about it?”</p><p>      “How could I not?” Vincent looked down to him. “Especially with our close calls, and you know I’ve never hidden how I’ve felt about you.”</p><p>      “So honest.”</p><p>      “No other way to live.” Vincent looked skyward once again. He swayed a foot left and right as his thoughts drifted away.</p><p>      Cloud sat up with a groan and stretched his arms out forward. “If you’re not busy, you should come down for a couple of days. I want you to see my office.”</p><p>      “Oh? And how’s that coming along.”</p><p>      “It’s coming,” Cloud said. “Reeve actually told me that he has some furniture he wants me to take off his hands.”</p><p>      “Need any help?”</p><p>      Cloud shook his head. “He’s got that all covered. I just have to meet him in Junon.”</p><p>      Vincent hummed thoughtfully. “Then I’ll come see you.”</p><p>      “No doubt you will. Might even have more room for us in the upstairs room…” When Vincent looked over, Cloud stared at him evenly, trying to ignore the returning warmth. “We’ll have some privacy after all.”</p><p>      “Sounds good to me.” Vincent stood up and then helped Cloud up afterward.</p><p>      “Got any messages you want me to pass along?”</p><p>      “Nothing more than the usual,” Vincent said. He squeezed Cloud’s hand before letting him go.</p><p>Cloud turned and headed over to Fenrir. SItting was… an adventure, but he was sure that he’d be fine on the ride home. Once he cranked up the engine and the motorcycle started revving underneath him, he was suddenly less sure about how “fine” he’d be. He curved Fenrir around and came to Vincent’s side.</p><p>      “See you in a few days?”</p><p>      “I’ll let you know when I’m on the way.”</p><p>Cloud nodded and then went to put his goggles on. Right when they were secured, Vincent leaned down to give him a parting kiss. Cloud leaned up into it before drawing away. He watched as Vincent became a red, swirling mass once more and jettisoned into the sky. He kept his eyes on Vincent’s twirling cloak as he released Fenrir’s brake lever. When he finally returned his attention forward, he rode through the grasslands back towards his other home.</p><p>The ride was a lot more, ah, stimulating than he had expected it would be. Once he parked Fenrir, he immediately headed entered his office building before racing upstairs to take a shower. He took care of growing problem before he properly cleaned up. He might tell Vincent about that the next time they got together. After redressing, he headed on over next door to check on Tifa to see if she needed any help before opening up.</p><p>      “Hey, Tifa,” he greeted.</p><p>      “You’re back!” she replied with a lilt in her voice. “Thought you’d spend the night.”</p><p>      Cloud shrugged up his shoulders before coming behind the counter with her. “We’ve got plans to meet up lat— What’re you smiling like that for.”</p><p>      “No reason. Jeez, Cloud. You’re antsy.” She looked at him with a smug smile before turning towards the kitchen. “Come help me bring out some new things.”</p><p>      “Yeah, yeah.”</p><p>Cloud followed after her as he scratched the back of his head. She led him over towards a corner of the room where a couple of partially opened boxes were. She opened up the topmost one, double checking its stock before moving it off to the side.</p><p>      “Here,” she said, squatting down to pick up the heavy box. “Stock these bottles on the top two shelves. The grey labeled ones should go under the counter.”</p><p>      “Gotcha.” Cloud adjusted the box in his arms before turning around to head back towards the front.</p><p>      Tifa was close behind him to hold the door open. “And hey, Cloud.” He paused and looked at her. She smiled gently at him. “It’s good to see you happy.”</p><p>      He looked to the box in his arms and smiled. “It’s… good to be happy.”</p><p>And it was a happiness he could believe in, one he could rely on because it was one that he made himself. It was one that couldn’t be taken away from him. One that he didn’t have to question. The peace he had here and the life he was steadily making were all his. The fact that he could have all of this without question or doubt was something he never thought he’d have. He walked behind the counter, set the box down, and began taking out bottles.</p><p>This was the life he had fought for, and this was the path he was still learning. On a whim, he pulled his phone out of his pocket to send Vincent a message and saw he already had one waiting him.</p><p>
  <em>      Vincent 20:58:32</em>
  <br/>
  <em>      Sleep well, Cloud.</em>
</p><p>It was something so simple, but it still made him smile.</p><p>
  <em>      20XX-08-15 21:32:14</em>
  <br/>
  <em>      you too vincent. looking forward to seeing you again.</em>
</p><p>He erased that before writing instead:</p><p>
  <em>      20XX-08-15 21:32:20</em>
  <br/>
  <em>      you too vincent. ill be dreaming of you</em>
</p><p>He wasn’t really the romantic or poetic type, but it never hurt to take a chance on something new. With Vincent at least, it always paid off. He glanced over to the kitchen door to make sure Tifa wasn’t there with her smug as hell smile.</p><p>He tucked his phone away to continue his task. Even still, he had on that little smile. Yeah, this was his path to take, and he would do his best to enjoy every step of the way.</p>
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